Category: Speeches

Jim Shannon – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Energy and Climate Change

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Shannon on 2016-05-23.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, what steps her Department is taking to make available to people without online access guidance on comparisons of energy prices among different energy providers.

Andrea Leadsom

Consumers without access to the internet can shop around to find a better deal for their energy by using a price comparison company, which is accredited to the Confidence Code operated by Ofgem and provides a free telephone price comparison service. In addition Citizen Advice offers advice and support on energy switching.

The following companies offer such a service:

Energyhelpline 0800 074 0745

Moneysupermarket 0800 177 7087

SimplySwitch 0800 011 1395

UK Power.co.uk 0800 188 4906

uSwitch 0800 051 5493

Energylinx 0800 849 7077

01/01/2023
Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Communities and Local Government

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town on 2016-07-19.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made to bring forward regulations to introduce electrical safety checks, as set out in the Housing and Planning Act 2016.

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth

The Government is committed to protecting tenants and, as part of this, introduced the enabling power into the Housing and Planning Act 2016, allowing regulations to protect private sector tenants from electrical hazards in the home to be set at a later date.

This is a highly technical area and we need to explore appropriate options with relevant experts in the sector to test the most effective approach. My Department intends to set up a working group to identify what, if any, legislative requirements are needed and envisage this work being completed this year. This will ensure any introductions are beneficial and strike the right balance by protecting tenants while not over burdening the sector.

01/01/2023
Jim Cunningham – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Jim Cunningham on 2016-10-10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps NHS England is taking to encourage local communities to input into individual sustainability and transformation plans; and if he will publish contact details for lead officers co-ordinating proposals on the way maternity services are delivered in each NHS area.

David Mowat

NHS England, with other national health and care bodies, released guidance to the local areas developing Sustainability and Transformation Plans (STP) entitled ‘Engaging local people’ in September 2016 which can be found on their website. Local proposals for health and care transformation are not expected to have gone through formal local National Health Service or other organisations’ board approval and/or formal public engagement or consultation at this early stage. We expect that areas will publish a version of their Sustainability and Transformation Plans between late October and the end of the year. We would also expect that most areas will undertake public engagement during this period, building on the engagement they have already done to shape thinking. Every area will be working to a different timeframe, based on its own circumstances and how well-progressed its plan is.

As with the current arrangements for planning and delivery, there are layers of plans which can sit below STPs, with shared links and dependencies. STPs act as an umbrella, holding underneath them a number of different specific plans to address key local issues. Clinical commissioning groups remain accountable for securing high-quality healthcare services for their local populations.

01/01/2023
Kate Osamor – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for International Development

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Kate Osamor on 2015-10-29.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, with reference to the World Health Organisation’s Global Tuberculosis Report 2015, published on 28 October 2015, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the findings of that report; and what steps her Department is taking to contribute to the global eradication of tuberculosis.

Grant Shapps

We welcome the publication of the World Health Organisation’s Global Tuberculosis (TB) Report 2015, which reports on the challenges and achievements that have been made in tackling this terrible disease. The report highlights the threat of drug-resistant TB and makes the case for new diagnostics, drugs and vaccines to achieve the targets in the End TB Strategy.

The UK Government continues to be committed to tackling this disease, which was demonstrated by our support for the new Global Goal for Good Health and Well-Being. This includes helping to increase the access to, and use of, effective diagnostics and treatment of TB, including drug resistant TB. The UK delivers on its commitment through different channels, including supporting research and product development into more effective diagnosis, treatment and vaccines; helping countries to strengthen health systems to deliver quality TB programmes; and through our support to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and UNITAID. The Global Fund has enabled 13.2 million people to receive TB treatment since 2002.

01/01/2023
Iain Wright – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Iain Wright on 2015-11-18.

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, how many times the working groups on (a) public procurement, (b) international comparisons and (c) competitiveness and productivity have met since the Steel Summit on 16 October 2015; and what the actions and outcomes of each of those groups has been since their formation.

Anna Soubry

There have been three meetings of the International Comparisons Working Group, which has been examining the application of EU state aid rules in other EU member states and the issue of dumping of steel into the EU. A review of how other EU countries support their steel sectors showed that the UK was not missing an opportunity to provide assistance within the existing rules. It has also helped strengthen the partnership between industry and government, including on the evidence base on dumping of steel.

The Competitiveness and Productivity Working Group, which has met twice under the chairmanship of my Noble Friend Lord O’Neill of Gatley, has held discussions with steel industry representatives on the regulatory regime, energy costs and business taxation issues, as well as looking at broader issues around the future competitiveness of the steel industry. My Rt Hon Friend the Prime Minister has already announced on 28th October during Prime Ministers Questions that we are, subject to state aid clearance, bringing forward compensation for the costs of Renewables Obligation for Energy Intensive Industries and have confirmed the steel industry will be able to take advantage of the available flexibilities under the Industrial Emissions Directive.

The Steel Procurement Working Group, chaired by my Rt Hon Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office, has met twice, looking at how better to take account of socio-economic considerations in procurement, at achieving better transparency of the pipeline of steel needs in future infrastructure projects, and at steel standards. Following the first meeting, the Government published on 30 October new guidelines for departments to apply on major projects when sourcing and buying steel. The new instructions will help steel suppliers compete on a level playing field with international suppliers for major government projects.

01/01/2023
Baroness Hollins – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Baroness Hollins on 2015-12-21.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, in the light of Mazars’ report investigating unexpected deaths at Southern Healthcare, they intend to establish a national review into premature deaths for people with mental illness, in addition to those with learning disabilities.

Lord Prior of Brampton

Regulation 17 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2010 requires registered mental health providers to notify the Care Quality Commission (CQC) about deaths of people detained or liable to be detained under the Mental Health Act 1983. In addition, the CQC monitors data provided by the Health and Social Care Information Centre through the Mental Health Minimum Data Set on deaths of mental health hospital patients.

The CQC will be undertaking a wider review into the investigation of deaths in a sample of all types of National Health Service trust (acute, mental health and community trusts) in different parts of the country. As part of this review, the CQC will assess whether opportunities for prevention of death have been missed, for example by late diagnosis of physical health problems.

There are currently no plans to establish a national review into premature deaths of people with mental illness.

01/01/2023
Lord McAvoy – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the HM Treasury

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord McAvoy on 2016-01-28.

To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the Joint Exchequer Committee’s negotiations will conclude, and when the fiscal framework will be published.

Lord O’Neill of Gatley

Whilst there is no set date for the Joint Exchequer Committee to conclude negotiations on the fiscal framework, the UK government is doing everything it can to achieve an agreement.

The Business Managers and usual channels have agreed to move the final day in Committee on the Scotland Bill to Monday 22 February to allow more time for negotiations between the Scottish and UK Governments to progress.

The UK government is working towards a deal that is fair for Scotland, fair for the UK and meets all of the principles of the Smith Commission Agreement.

The fiscal framework document will be published shortly after it is agreed.

01/01/2023
David T. C. Davies – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by David T. C. Davies on 2016-02-22.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many asylum seekers claiming to be under the age of 18 have been charged with a criminal offence in the last year; and what proportion of such asylum seekers were subsequently found to have fraudulently claimed to be under the age of 18.

James Brokenshire

The Home Office does not maintain a central record of the requested information and could only provide it at disproportionate cost.

01/01/2023

Anne Main – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Home Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Anne Main on 2016-03-16.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many nationals of other EU member states have been refused entry to the UK in each of the last 10 years; and for what reasons they were refused.

James Brokenshire

The Government has prevented EEA/EU nationals entry into the UK on public protection grounds in each of the last five years. The Home Office is unable to provide figures for refusals within each refusal category. Total refusals for each of the last ten years are provided in the table below.

Numbers of EU nationals granted entry to the UK through Regulation 11 (2) of the Immigration (European Economic Area) Regulations 2006 are not recorded centrally.

EU Passengers initially refused entry each year since 2006
Year	Total refusals
2006	1663
2007	973
2008	753
2009	618
2010	594
2011	688
2012	787
2013	1078
2014	1755
2015	2165

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01/01/2023

Bob Blackman – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Bob Blackman on 2016-04-20.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his international counterparts on reports that a UN-funded Palestinian non-governmental orgaisation, Rural Women’s Development Society, organised an event commemorating a Palestinian terrorist who killed three Israeli civilians.

Mr Tobias Ellwood

While we have not made any representations to our international counterparts about this specific issue, we condemn all acts of terrorism and incitement to commit violence, whichever side it comes from.

01/01/2023